My Top 10 Most Memorable Secondary Characters

Seriously, I am going to apologize upfront that nearly half of these characters from The Hunger Games trilogy. But you know what, I’m not really that sorry, because they’re awesome and deserve to be seen as such! I could easily do a Top 10 Hunger Games secondary characters, but I refrained myself. Here they are, in no particular order…

Haymitch starts out as the old, drunkard Victor who feels trapped by the system the Capitol has set in place, but with many thanks to Katniss, grows to believe change is possible.

Haymitch takes the seat across from me. “We’re going to have to work together again. So, go ahead. Just say it.”
… All I can say is “I can’t believe you didn’t rescue Peeta.”
“I know,” he replies.
There’s a sense of incompleteness. And not because he hasn’t apologized. But because we were a team. We had a deal to keep Peeta safe. A drunken, unrealistic deal made in the dark of night, but a deal just the same. And in my heart of hearts, I know we both failed.
“Now you say it,” I tell him.
“I can’t believe you let him out of your sight that night,” says Haymitch.
I nod. That’s it.

2. Cinna, The Hunger Games trilogy

Cinna is an incredible secondary character, who shows great strength and great restraint, quietly rebelling against the Capitol in his own way and loving Katniss the way she needed someone to love her.

“Don’t worry. I always channel my emotions into my work. That way I don’t hurt anyone but myself.”

3. Effie, The Hunger Games trilogy

At first Effie seems as flighty and silly as Capitol people come, but through Katniss and Peeta, we see her change and as she comes to realize just how truly evil the Games are. Unfortunately, however, we don’t know how her story ends.

4. Finnick, The Hunger Games trilogy

Just like Katniss, I was suspicious of Finnick at first. I mean, “Do you want a sugar cube?”? Really? Creepy! But he proves to be so much more than the famed hunky Victor Katniss believed him to be. He proves to be someone who loves deeply and will fight for what he believes.

“Did you love Annie right away, Finnick?” I ask.
“No.” A long time passes before he adds, “She crept up on me.”

Iko is Cinder’s robot companion, but she’s far from boring, bursting with a fun personality regardless of whether she is talking to Cinder about Prince Kai or if her program has been re-routed into a ship where she laments getting used to her new “body.” Iko definitely made me smile several times while reading Cinder.

Reepicheep, the most daring and courageous mouse of all, starts off a bit prideful, but in the end is humbled as he enters Aslan’s country. I love this feisty mouse and his story.

Reepicheep: I can eat and sleep and die for my King without one [a tail]. But a tail is the honour and glory of a Mouse.
Aslan: I have sometimes wondered, friend, whether you do not think too much about your honour.

Bean is one of the very few people Ender can rely on in the middle of his chaos of trying to discover who he is when the weight of the world is literally upon him. It’s neat to see their friendship develop and it made me interested in reading about Bean’s point of view in Ender’s Shadow, but I have not yet.

“They can’t break you.”
“You’d be surprised.” Ender breathed sharply, suddenly, as if there were a stab of pain, or he had to catch a sudden breath in a wind; Bean looked at him and realized that the impossible was happening. Far from baiting him, Ender Wiggin was actually confiding in him. Not much. But a little. Ender was human and Bean had been allowed to see.

10. Valentine, Ender’s Game

Ender’s sister Valentine is also a very interesting character. She is incredibly smart but is considered too compassionate for the role of saving mankind from aliens, but she is exactly who Ender needs as he is falling apart. But Valentine is not perfect, as she allows their other brother, Peter, to manipulate her into exercising out his political schemes. It’s interesting to watch her reactions to Peter and Ender in the novel, and I am really looking forward to seeing how Abigail Breslin portrays her in the movie.

Ender: I didn’t want to see you.
Valentine: They told me.
Ender: I was afraid that I’d still love you.

What do you think of these secondary characters? Who are your favorite secondary characters?

41 Responses to My Top 10 Most Memorable Secondary Characters

This may be a risky thing to say here but…I didn’t really care for the hunger games. (dodges tomatoes).

I will be honest and didn’t read the books and am basing only on the movie, but it was just ‘meh’ to me. I thought it was a good movie, but not the be all, end all, that it was made out to be.

With that said, I think Haymitch was a very memorable character. I enjoyed his role and not just because it was Woody Harrelson playing it. The others didn’t stick out in my mind as much. I think Rue stuck out though. Pivotal point in Katniss’s ordeal and just a very likable girl.

Of course love the Ender’s Game references, and if you liked Bean now, wait until you read Ender’s Shadow. There are many who like his character more than Ender even.

Can’t believe I didn’t think of Rue, you’re right on about her. The Hunger Games books are WAY better than the movie. I enjoyed the movie, but it definitely does not carry all the nuances of the books.

I love the HG and all of the characters within. Cinna is probably my favorite secondary character. I read Ender’s Game YEARS ago. I need to give it a second look before the movie comes out. I really need to read Cinder and The Book Thief. I have both on my TBR and the audio of Cinder checked out. Great list!

Okay, I haven’t read The Enders Game but YES to everything else. I included The Hunger Games, but none of the characters you chose. Not because I didn’t love them though! And YES! The Book Thief has great secondary characters as well. So glad you chose them 😀

Reblogged this on The Worlds top 10 of Anything and Everything!!! and commented:
Today is Sunday which means it is guest post day! Today’s post is from ‘Amy’ and brings us a “My Top 10 Most Memorable Secondary Characters” which features some very surprising people. So I hope you enjoy it and show it as much love as you do my own top 10′s. But if you think you can do better or interested in doing the same please drop me an E-Mail: turtle4578588@gmail.com But until then here is today’s….

I think Lando Calrissian would be added to mine 🙂
I’m yet to read The Book Thief although I did buy it the other day. I am currently reading Love in the Time of Cholera. I can’t say who is the best secondary character in that yet

I’m so old school that the only one of these characters I know is Valentine, and I know her from the books. I’ve not seen the movie.
I think that Samwise Gamgee is one of the best secondary characters. He’s the finest best friend anyone could have.